even by the God of your father, who will help you, by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
Parallel Translations
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even by the God of your father, who will help you, by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
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Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
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Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that coucheth beneath, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to Genesis 49:25 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 28:13 Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you lie on to you and to your offspring.
- Genesis 35:11 God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.
- Philippians 4:19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
- Genesis 43:23 He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
- Deuteronomy 8:17 and lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.”
- Deuteronomy 33:13-17 About Joseph he said, “His land is blessed by Yahweh, for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew, for the deep that couches beneath, for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, for the precious things that the moon can yield, for the best things of the ancient mountains, for the precious things of the everlasting hills, for the precious things of the earth and its fullness, the good will of him who lived in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers. Majesty belongs to the firstborn of his herd. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim. They are the thousands of Manasseh.”
- Genesis 27:28 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.
- Deuteronomy 28:2-12 All these blessings will come upon you, and overtake you, if you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice. You shall be blessed in the city, and you shall be blessed in the field. You shall be blessed in the fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the fruit of your animals, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock. Your basket and your kneading trough shall be blessed. You shall be blessed when you come in, and you shall be blessed when you go out. Yahweh will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you. They will come out against you one way, and will flee before you seven ways. Yahweh will command the blessing on you in your barns, and in all that you put your hand to. He will bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways. All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by Yahweh’s name, and they will be afraid of you. Yahweh will grant you abundant prosperity in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you. Yahweh will open to you his good treasure in the sky, to give the rain of your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You will lend to many nations, and you will not borrow.
- Deuteronomy 33:1 This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
- 1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.
- Genesis 28:21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,
- Genesis 35:3 Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”
- Psalms 85:12 Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase.
- 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours,
- Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
- Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.
- Matthew 6:33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
- Psalms 84:11 For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 25. Even by the God of thy father. Again,…
25. Even by the God of thy father. Again, he more fully affirms that Joseph had been delivered from death, and exalted to such great dignity, not by his own industry, but by the favor of God: and there is not the least doubt that he commends to all the pious, the mere goodness of God, lest they should arrogate anything to themselves, whether they may have escaped from dangers, or whether they may have risen to any rank of honor. By the God of thy father. In designating God by this title, he again traces whatever good Joseph has received, to the covenant, and to the fountain of gratuitous adoption; as if he had said, “Whereas thou hast proved the paternal care of God in helping thee, I desire that thou wouldst ascribe this to the covenant which God has made with me.” Meanwhile, (as we have said before,) he separates from all fictitious idols the God whom he transmits to his descendants to worship.
After he has declared, that Joseph should be blessed in every way, both as it respects his own life, and the number and preservation of his posterity; he affirms that the effect of this benediction is near and almost present, by saying, that he blessed Joseph more efficaciously than he himself had been blessed by his fathers. For although, from the beginning, God had been true to his promises, yet he frequently postponed the effect of them, as if he had been feeding Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with nothing but words. For, to what extent were the patriarchs multiplied in Egypt? Where was that immense seed which should equal the sands of the seashore and the stars of heaven? Therefore, not without reason, Jacob declares that the full time had arrived in which the result of his benediction, which had lain concealed, should emerge as from the deep. Now, this comparison ought to inspire us with much greater alacrity at the present time; for the abundant riches of the grace of God which have flowed to us in Christ, exceeds a hundredfold, any blessings which Joseph received and felt.
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What is added respecting the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, some wish to refer to distance of place, some to perpetuity of time. Both senses suit very well; either that the felicity of Joseph should diffuse itself far and wide to the farthest mountains of the world; or that it should endure as long as the everlasting hills, which are the firmest portions of the earth, shall stand. The more certain and genuine sense, however, is to be gathered from the other passage, where Moses repeats this benediction; namely, that the fertility of the land would extend to the tops of the mountains; and these mountains are called perpetual, because they are most celebrated. He also declares that this blessing should be upon his head, lest Joseph might think that his good wishes were scattered to the winds; for by this word he intends to show, if I may so speak, that the blessing was substantial. At length he calls Joseph נזיר(nazir) among his brethren, either because he was their crown, on account of the common glory which redounds from him to them all, or because, on account of the dignity by which he excels, he was separated from them all. It may be understood in both senses. Yet we must know that this excellency was temporal, because Joseph, together with the others, was required to take his proper place, and to submit himself to the scepter of Judah.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 49:25 [Even] by the God of thy father,…
Gen 49:25 [Even] by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
Ver. 25. Who shall help thee.] God hath, God shall, - is an ordinary way of arguing; it is a demonstration of Scripture logic, as Psa 85:1-4 2Co 1:10. Every former favour is a pledge of a future.
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With blessings of heaven above, &c.] God "shall hear the heaven, the heaven shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, wine, and oil": the genealogy of all which is resolved into God. {Hos 2:21-22}
With blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.] Yet rather than "Ephraim shall bring forth children to the murderer," the prophet prays God to give them, as a blessing, as some think, "a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts." {Hos 9:13-14} And our Saviour saith, "Woe be to such as are with child, and give suck in those days" of war and trouble. {Mat 24:19}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Here he explains and determines that doubtful expression from…
Here he explains and determines that doubtful expression from these, by adding even by (or rather from as this particle mem properly signifies, and was just now used)
the God of thy Father, i.e. who hath chosen and loved they father, and made a league with him, and blessed him with all manner of blessings.
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Blessings of heaven above, i.e. the sweet and powerful influences of the heavenly bodies, and the dews and rains which fall from heaven, whereby the fruits of the earth are produced in great plenty. See Lev 26:4; Deu 28:12; 33:14.
blessing of the deep, i.e. of the great sea of waters both above the earth, and in the earth, whence come those springs and rivers by which the earth is moistened and made fruitful. See Gen 1:2 7:11; Deu 8:7.
Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb whereby both men and beasts shall be greatly multiplied, and abundantly supplied with all necessaries.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,.... The…
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,.... The twelve sons of Jacob before mentioned were heads of twelve tribes, who were afterwards seated, and had their part in the land of Canaan; there were indeed thirteen tribes, two springing from Joseph; but then the tribe of Levi had no part in the land of Canaan, which was divided into twelve parts; this shows that the above predictions respect not the persons of the patriarchs, but their tribes:
and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them: the above is the sum and substance of what he had delivered in his patriarchal benediction of them, a little before his death; and though some of them, as Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, may seem rather to be cursed than blessed, yet the greater part of them were clearly and manifestly blessed; and what he said by way of correction and rebuke to the others, might be blessed to them for their good; nor is it improbable, that after he had delivered out the above predictions, he might wish for and implore a blessing on them all; and certain it is, that they all had a part in the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as it related to the land of Canaan:
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everyone according to his blessing he blessed them; according to the blessing which was appointed to them of God, and was in later times bestowed on them, Jacob under a spirit of prophecy was directed to bless them with, or to foretell what blessings should come upon them, and which accordingly did.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Even by the God of thy father Jacob, who…
Even by the God of thy father Jacob, who shall help thee - Our experiences of God's power and goodness in strengthning us hitherto, are encouragements still to hope for help from him. He that has helped us, will. And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee; and he only blesseth indeed. Observe the blessings conferred on Joseph; First, Various and abundant blessings. Blessings of heaven above, rain in its season, and fair weather in its season; blessings of the deep that lies under this earth, or with subterraneous mines and springs. Blessings of the womb and the breasts are given when children are safely born and comfortably nursed. Secondly, Eminent and transcendent blessings, which prevail above the blessings of my progenitors - His father Isaac had but one blessing, and when he had given that to Jacob, he was at a loss for a blessing to bestow upon Esau; but Jacob had a blessing for each of his twelve sons, and now at the latter end, a copious one for Joseph. Thirdly, Durable and extensive blessings: unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills - Including all the products of the most fruitful hills, and lasting as long as they last. Of these blessings it is here said they shall be, so it is a promise; or, let them be, so it is a prayer, on the head of Joseph, to which let them be as a crown to adorn it, and a helmet to protect it.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 25. The God of thy father] How frequently…
Verse 25. The God of thy father] How frequently God is called the God of Jacob none needs be told who reads the Bible.
God All-sufficient] Instead of את שדי ETH Shaddai, THE Almighty or All-sufficient; I read אל שדי El EL Shaddai, GOD All-sufficient; which is the reading of the Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, and Coptic, and of three reputable MSS. In the collections of Kennicott and De Rossi. The copies used by those ancient versions had evidently אל EL, God, and not את eth, THE, a mistake produced in later times. On the word אל שדי El Shaddai, See Clarke on Ge 17:1.
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The blessing of the heavens from above] A generally pure, clear, serene sky, frequently dropping down fertilizing showers and dews, so as to make a very fruitful soil and salubrious atmosphere.
Blessings lying in the deep beneath] Whatever riches could be gained from the sea or rivers, from mines and minerals in the bowels of the earth, and from abundant springs in different parts of his inheritance. Our translation of this line is excessively obscure: Blessings of the deep that lieth under. What is it that lies under the deep: By connecting ברכת bircoth, blessings, with רבצת robetseth, lying, all ambiguity is avoided, and the text speaks a plain and consistent sense.
The blessings of the breasts and of the womb.] A numerous offspring, and an abundance of cattle. The progeny of Joseph, by Ephraim and Manasseh, amounted at the first census or enumeration (Num. i.) to 75,900 men, which exceeded the sum of any one tribe; Judah, the greatest of the others, amounting to no more than 74,600. Indeed, Ephraim and Manasseh had multiplied so greatly in the days of Joshua, that a common lot was not sufficient for them. See their complaint, Jos 17:14.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Gen 49:25-26. Even by the God of thy father…
Gen 49:25-26. Even by the God of thy father Jacob, who shall help thee —
Our experiences of God’s power and goodness, in strengthening us hitherto, are encouragements still to hope for help from him. He that has helped us, will. And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee — And he only blesseth indeed. Observe the blessings conferred on Joseph: 1st, Various and abundant blessings. Blessings of heaven above — Rain in its season, and fair weather in its season; blessings of the deep that lies under — This earth, or with subterraneous mines and springs. Blessings of the womb and the breasts are given when children are safely born and comfortably nursed. 2d, Eminent and transcendent blessings, which prevail above the blessings of my progenitors — His father Isaac had but one blessing, and when he had given that to Jacob, he was at a loss for a blessing to bestow upon Esau; but Jacob had a blessing for each of his twelve sons, and now, at the latter end, a copious one for Joseph. 3d, Durable and extensive blessings: unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills — Including all the products of the most fruitful hills, and lasting as long as they last. Of these blessings it is here said, they shall be — So it is a promise; or, let them be, so it is a prayer, on the head of Joseph — To which let them be a crown to adorn it, and a helmet to protect it.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Blessings, &c. 1. Of rain; 2. of springs; 3.…
Blessings, &c. 1. Of rain; 2. of springs; 3. of milk, (uberum); and 4. (vulvæ) of children and cattle.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 25. The Almighty — Hebrews Shaddai, who had appeared…
25. The Almighty — Hebrews Shaddai, who had appeared so often to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Comp. Gen_17:1; Gen_28:3; Gen_35:11; Gen_43:14; Gen_48:3. The blessings so variously enhanced by the terms of this verse and the following, indicate the glory of the birthright given to Joseph, and his future eminence and prosperity among the tribes.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 25. Even by the God of thy father] This…
25. Even by the God of thy father] This verse continues the subject of the two previous clauses, the Divine source of help for Joseph. For “the God of thy father,” cf. Gen_31:5, Gen_50:17.
And by the Almighty] Lit. “and with (êth = ‘with the help of,’ see Gen_4:2) the Almighty.” The Hebrew, however, for “by” is most probably due to an error in the transcription of one letter (êth for êl). Read “and God Almighty.” “Êl” was read by LXX, Sam., and Syr. Pesh.
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“Almighty,” i.e. Shaddai, see note on Gen_17:1, Gen_35:11.
who shall bless thee] Rather a prayer, = “and may he bless thee.” The next words should be compared with the blessing of Joseph in Deu_33:13, “blessed of the Lord be his land; for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, &c.” Here three types of blessing are invoked, those of the sky, the waters, and the human race, as three sources of fruitfulness.
blessings of] Either continuing the sentence, “May he bless thee with blessings,” or beginning a new sentence, “May there be to thee, &c.”
heaven above] The blessings of rain and dew. Cf. Gen_27:28.
the deep that coucheth beneath] Cf. the identical words of Deut. quoted above. For “the deep that coucheth beneath” (Lat. abyssi jacentis deorsum), see note on Gen_1:9. “The deep,” Heb. tehôm (Gen_1:2), the great subterranean reservoir of water from which, according to Israelite ideas, the springs, fountains, and rivers welled up, and gave fertility to the soil.
the breasts] For the converse of this blessing, see Hos_9:14. The fruitfulness of a family was deemed a proof of Divine blessing.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (25) Even by the God of thy father.—In the…
(25) Even by the God of thy father.—In the Hebrew this follows directly upon the preceding clause: “from the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel; from the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and from the Almighty,” &c.
Blessings of heaven above are the rains and dew; those of “the deep” beneath are lakes, rivers, and springs; and those of “the breasts and womb” mean an abundant offspring both of men and cattle. (For the opposite curse see Hos_9:14.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Jacob continues to bless Joseph and his descendants. (See: Genesis 49:22-23)
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help you ... bless you
Here "you" refers to Joseph who stands for his descendants. AT: "help your descendants ... bless them" (See: Metonymy)
blessings of the sky
Here "sky" stands for the rain that helps the crops to grow. (See: Metonymy)
blessings of the deep that lies beneath
Here "deep" stands for the water underneath the ground that supplies rivers and wells. (See: Metonymy)
blessings of the breasts and womb
Here "breasts and womb" stand for the ability for a mother to have children and feed them milk. (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
God
ancestor
bless
heaven
womb
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 49:25 The blessings of the heavens above meant rain…
49:25 The blessings of the heavens above meant rain for crops. • The blessings of the watery depths were streams and wells of water. • The blessings of the breasts and womb were abundant offspring.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.